In what could mark a turning point in Nigeria’s fight against terrorism, notorious bandit leader Bello Turji has reportedly expressed his willingness to surrender.
This was revealed by the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Christopher Musa, during an interview on Politics Today, a Channels Television program, on Friday night.
Turji, whose reign of terror has left communities in northern Nigeria devastated, appears to be buckling under the weight of intensified military operations targeting his network.
General Musa claimed that the recent offensives have dismantled much of Turji’s power structure, including the elimination of his second-in-command and several top lieutenants. These actions, Musa said, have forced Turji to release numerous hostages and consider laying down his arms.
Tracking Turji, however, remains a significant challenge. “He moves unpredictably,” Musa explained. “The terrorists operate within communities, and while locals often know their whereabouts, by the time intelligence reaches us, he’s already on the move.”
Despite these hurdles, the military’s successes have put Turji on the defensive. “We’ve decimated his command structure,” Musa claimed. “Now, he’s beginning to indicate that he doesn’t want any trouble; he’s ready to surrender.”
While this development offers a glimmer of hope, General Musa stressed that surrender alone cannot erase the atrocities committed. Justice, he emphasized, must prevail. “Those who have inflicted pain and caused the deaths of innocent citizens must be held accountable. Surrender is not a free pass from justice”, he stated.
The claim by the defense chief is coming well over 130 days after he had vowed to bring the notorious bandit to book.
The CDS had, during a press conference in Abuja on September 10, boasted that it was just a matter of time before the dreaded bandit whom he describing as deranged would meet his waterloo.
